MARKETINGS INTEGRATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS

Interdepartmental integration is very much a part of a marketing depar tment's activities, but what is meant by ''integration'' is not well d efined. Some literature has ascribed to an interaction perspective, wh ere meetings and documented information exchange predicate marketing's relationships among departments. Other literature has ascribed to a c ollaboration perspective, where teams and collective goals are prescri bed. And a third group of literature has suggested that integration is a composite of interaction and collaboration. An empirical study of 5 14 marketing, manufacturing, and RGD managers was undertaken to invest igate which one of these perspectives may be more valid for achieving performance success. Findings indicate that collaboration distinguishe s successful performance and promotes marketing's satisfaction in work ing with other departments. Managerial and future research implication s are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.